Melissa Smith moved through the hall, heading toward her locker to drop off some things and pick up others. Melissa was currently the head cheerleader, although that was a recent development, as the former head cheerleader had ceased to be not long before. Considering the fact that the football team was also not likely to be in existance much longer, the cheerleading program as it currently was didn't seem long for this world.
Yuki Meshida was standing in front of her locker, which had the great misfortune to be next to Melissa's. That meant when the door was open and she was standing in front of it, she was in Melissa's way.
"You're blocking my locker," Melissa said.
Yuki looked at her. She knew what it meant, even though her English wasn't so great. They had this conversation before. Melissa always seemed to forget it.
"Do...you...understand?" as if Yuki was not only mute, but deathly stupid. Melissa turned to Jessica Davis, one of her cheerleading buddies. "If you're going to live here, learn the language. I can't believe I have to go through this every day."
"Yeah, it's horrible," Jessica said.
"And get some decent clothes. You look like my grandmother," Melissa said, pushing Yuki.
"Get your hands off me, you bitch," Yuki blurted out without thinking. Raising her voice was not typical for her, nor was cursing, nor doing so in English.
Melissa actually backed off, a bit surprised herself. "Sorry," she found herself mumbling, and moving away.
Yuki looked after her, not realizing that her angry thoughts directed at Melissa were also running through her head in English.
She slipped into one of the bathrooms, having a sudden desire to get out of what she was suddenly thinking of as 'grandma clothes'. She locked herself in one of the stalls and stripped off the long plain skirt, stockings, and the shirt. "Looks like a frikkin' school uniform," she muttered to herself, dumping the clothing and reaching into a bag that hadn't been there a moment ago to change.
Inside the bag was a pair of skin-tight jeans, which she slipped on, then a pair of black sandals, and a tank top. She dumped her old clothes into a bag and promptly forgot about them, heading for the mirror.
She brushed her hair and grabbed her bookbag and headed out the door. She wasn't a flashy girl. But, she knew what she wanted...and usually could figure out how to get it.
As she left the bathroom, she headed toward her next class, growing more confident with each step. The idea of blending into the background quietly became a fading memory.
During the next class, she sat in the back with a somewhat amused expression on her face, as if entertained by something. The teacher even tried to out her as not paying attention by calling on her, but each time, Yuki calmly gave her the right answer.
A very different Yuki was emerging. One who was always in control and knew what she wanted. Old Yuki might have been destined to end up like her mother, a submissive and timid housewife who did whatever her husband said. This new girl was already wielding her family's influence expertly. Who knew what she would end up with when she grew older?
Meanwhile, Melissa was confused. The foreign girl, Yuki, had stood up to her. She didn't understand it. She turned to Jessica Davis. "I don't understand," she said.
"Yeah, well...so?" Jessica said. She suddenly wondered why she was hanging out with this girl. "I gotta go," she said. She hurried off.
Melissa blinked, but a few moments later she forgot Jessica entirely, so she didn't have to worry. Jessica herself headed toward the school's cafeteria. It began to change around her. The inexpensive plastic chairs and institutional tables reformed into round tables with tablecloths and place settings.
She entered through the employee entrance and entered a locker room. She stripped out of what she was wearing...a short denim skirt and a shirt with a plunging neckline that showed off her assets and put on what was in the locker. It was some sort of blue uniform, with a skirt that ended just below the knee. On top of it, Jessica donned a black apron. She slipped into a pair of black heels.
"Shit," she said. "I'm late." That was the third time this week. She headed through the door into the kitchen, which was now filled with stations for the fresh preparation of food, instead of the defrosting of mystery meat containers. She no more noticed the change to the kitchen than she did to herself, as she began to visibly age. After all, a teenager should be attending school, not working in it.
By the time Jessica's progression ended, she had aged to twenty-five. The only thing she was thinking of was sneaking past her supervisor.
At the same time, Melissa was exiting her next class, feeling overwhelmed. With each moment, the 11th grade material seemed harder and harder. She was grateful when it was finally over. She headed back to her locker.
When she got there, there was another girl standing at the locker next to hers. She didn't immediately recognize her from the back, but the door to her locker was blocking Melissa's locker.
"You're blocking my locker," she said.
The girl turned. "What?" She said. It was Yuki.
Melissa sighed. Not again. "You're blocking my locker."
"I'll be done in a second. Don't get your panties in a bunch," Yuki said. Her English had become flawless, but her Japanese accent was fading, being replaced by a Boston accent, which was gradually creeping into each new sentence. She didn't make a move. If anything, she seemed to be taking her time as Melissa waited there.
"I need to get at my locker," Melissa said.
"What? Why? Need more tissue to stuff your bra?" Yuki said. "Fine. I'm done anyway." She slammed her locker closed and sauntered off, leaving a red-faced Melissa there, whose bra was much looser than it had been a period before.
Melissa headed off to her next class, entering one she'd never been in before. She spent the period of 9th grade mathematics confused, even though she'd passed the class two years before.
Meanwhile, Yuki passed Tiffany Sanders in the hall and leaned against a locker next to Jay Duncan. "I saw you talking to that Australian bitch," she said. "I know it wasn't by choice."
Jay shrugged. "Just a business matter," he commented.
"You don't have to live with her," Yuki said. "I tried to switch to a different suite, but they keep talking about how we're learning about diversity."
Jay looked at her, thoughtfully. "You want to get rid of her, then?" The other student was clearly thinking of something. "What's it worth to you?"
